Crews tackle outbuilding fire in central Harrogate

Fire crews were called out to a derelict building in the centre of Harrogate today.

It happened at a house at the junction of Strawberry Dale and Woodbine Terrace.

The fire was reported to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service at 4.50pm. They found it in an outbuilding which contained rubbish, though the cause was not identified.

Firefighters from Harrogate and Knaresborough put it out using a hose, and used breathing apparatus for comfort while on site.

Another 43 coronavirus cases confirmed in Harrogate district

A further 43 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the past 24 hours across the Harrogate district.

The figure brings the district’s total number of confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak to 1,930.

There have been no further deaths reported in patients with covid 19 at Harrogate District Hospital, after one was confirmed on Thursday for the first time in three weeks. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 84 patients have died at the hospital after testing positive for the virus.

Meanwhile, a new testing facility has opened at the Dragon Parade car park in Harrogate this week, offering tests seven days a week.

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Though the number of infections continues to rise, health leaders in North Yorkshire have offered some reassurance about the overall picture.

Speaking on Wednesday, Amanda Bloor, accountably officer at North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said Harrogate District Hospital was treating 10 covid-positive in-patients, with one in intensive care. In September, the hospital confirmed it had set aside 100 beds to treat patients with the virus through the winter.

Ms Bloor added:

“We are seeing the number of inpatient admissions with covid increasing, but we are not yet at the levels of hospitalisations that we were back at the beginning and in the middle of April.

“We have currently got 116 people in hospital beds; we had in excess of 300 in early April.

“It is a relatively stable position, although we are seeing a slight upward trend in terms of those numbers.”

However, the Nightingale hospital – which has 500 beds at Harrogate Convention Centre to treat patients from across Yorkshire and the Humber – was last week put on stand-by by the government to take patients as infection numbers around the region continue to rise.

Charity calls on community to help spread Christmas cheer

A community project which has provided thousands of meals to vulnerable families this year is hoping to spread extra cheer at Christmas.

Resurrected Bites has received almost 3,000 calls for help since lockdown began in March, delivering three days’ worth of food, toiletries and cleaning products to the equivalent of 4,528 adults and 2,807 children – though many of these are returning customers.

Yet this was never what the community interest company was set up to be. It was a pay-as-you-feel cafe, using food intercepted from restaurants, supermarkets and suppliers before it was sent to landfill, offering hot and cold meals at three churches in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

However, director Michelle Hayes said when lockdown began and the cafes had to close, she immediately knew what she would do.

“Within two days I had switched over. I decided to close the cafes on the Monday and by Wednesday we had started the food distribution.

“I knew there would be lots of people needing food and people were panic-buying. I knew a lot of businesses would have to close really quickly and there would be a lot of food going to waste. Supermarkets were struggling with their ordering systems.

“We were able to get a lot of food and start delivering straight away.”

Although other organisations, such as the foodbank, were already set up to support families in need, Michelle knew there was still a gap for additional help. Where the foodbank supplies mostly tinned and dried food, Resurrected Bites uses perishable items such as fruit and vegetables, eggs, and bread.

Volunteers at Resurrected Bites sort through donated food

Volunteers Sally and Richard sort through donations to make parcels of food for local families

It can also provide cooked meals thanks to a team of volunteers who turn some of the ingredients into complete dishes. Though Resurrected Bites never distributes food which is out of date or of poor quality, using it to make meals can extend its usable life.

After lockdown began, requests for help began to escalate quickly, largely through referrals from other organisations but in some cases direct from struggling families. With several months of activity now behind them, Michelle and her team have settled into a rhythm of deliveries each week.

Michelle knows demand is likely to rise again if more lockdown measures are put in place.

“We’ve got really busy again this week. I wanted to be running at capacity of 30 orders a day – but when you realise how much food that involves, it’s quite overwhelming. By Friday, you’re just hoping there’s enough food available for everyone who needs it.

“I’m expecting that demand is going to go up as more people get laid off. People who are waiting for Universal Credit to start, people who have been self-employed and their business has closed. Quite a few families whose kids have been sent home from school and families have to self-isolate, but can’t get a supermarket deliver for a few days.”

If she needs to increase capacity, the only option for Michelle is to source more food and other supplies. She could request more from charity supplier Fareshare, but demand is likely to increase everywhere and more deliveries may not be available.

The only other option would be to buy more in, which they have been doing as necessary – but that needs more money to be coming in as well. It already costs more than £4,000 each month to meet the existing demands for food and toiletries.

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Now, with Christmas looming, Michelle is keen to make it special for the families supported by Resurrected Bites and is calling on the community to help.

She’s asked each family to say what their children are interested in so supporters can buy something from the list, and can donate wrapping paper and sticky tape too. She added:

“Hopefully we’ll try and get the right kind of present to the right child so there’s something for everybody.”

Donations of food and toiletries can be made at drop-off points around Harrogate and Knaresborough. Financial donations are also welcome to help fund any extra supplies. Details of both, along with order forms for people needing support, can be found on the Resurrected Bites website.

Forty new covid cases confirmed in Harrogate district

A further 40 people have tested positive for covid-19 in the Harrogate district since yesterday.

It brings the total number of cases with positive tests in the district to 1,598 since the start of the outbreak.

There have been no deaths of patients with coronavirus at Harrogate District Hospital since September 29, with the total during the pandemic standing at 83.

One further person was this week reported to have died in a care home in the district after being diagnosed with the virus.

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The latest statistics show Harrogate has the highest rate of infections in the seven districts in North Yorkshire.

Latest weekly figures showed 154 cases per 100,000 people in the district. This compares with 151 in Selby, 147 in Craven and 138 in Hambleton. Richmondshire recorded 104, Scarborough had 94 and Ryedale 89.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons this week the government would consider a district-by-district approach to its new tier system.

Today, the government announced Lancashire would be placed in the highest tier of restrictions – but remains in dispute with the leaders of Greater Manchester over introducing further limitations there.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health for North Yorkshire, said the main cause of spread of coronavirus in the county was between households.

He said he supported the new tier system as it would help to tackle the spread in the county, but said there were “very few instances” of infection in hospitality.

Care home visit scheme branded ‘placatory’ by dementia patient’s daughter

A Harrogate woman campaigning for care home visits to be allowed said she does not see a government pilot scheme as a significant step forward.

Speaking to MPs this week, care minister Helen Whately said a pilot scheme to give relatives ‘key worker status’ – testing them for covid and allowing them to visit care homes – is being planned.

However, Judy Bass, whose 99-year-old father lives in a Harrogate care home, said more urgent progress needs to be made across the country for the sake of residents’ well-being.

“I don’t think it’s particularly a step forward. I think it’s placatory, because they have known about this for so long. It just needs to be put in place.

“Piloting it – I don’t even know how that would operate or if it would have any effect. They just need to put it in place. Relatives need to be given key worker status and tested and allowed to visit.”

Ms Bass also questioned whether the project would even be possible, given the struggle to deliver testing around the country.

Last month, introducing a ban on visitors across the county throughout October, North Yorkshire County Council’s head of health and adult services, Richard Webb, said although he was in favour of testing relatives to allow them to visit, the lack of tests available made that “unrealistic”.

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Ms Bass and her brother are being allowed to visit their father this week for the first time – but only to see him through a window. As he has dementia, she is concerned the visit will distress him or, even worse, that he will not recognise his children.

“We will try and see how he copes with it, but he might not understand what’s going on. He might not know who I am, he might be exhausted by the whole thing. I go with trepidation.”

This week, care homes have reacted strongly to the suggestion that they could be asked to take in patients from hospitals who have tested positive for covid. Some councils have approached care homes to ask them to provide separate space for people recovering from the virus after being discharged, away from other residents.

Sam Monaghan, the chief executive of MHA, which runs care homes across the country including Berwick Grange in Harrogate, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he was “highly concerned” about people with the virus being brought into close contact with vulnerable communities. Speaking about the logistics of accommodating them separately, he added:

“Unless you are talking about care home providers who have got buildings that aren’t yet occupied, it will be moving people out of their home, their room that they have got, if you are trying to cohort part of the home.

“You would be having to separate your staff group into those who are working with people without covid and those who are working with covid, and what the arrangements and protections for those staff at the heightened level of risk would be.

“And then there is the risk of transmission within that geographic space, even if you managed to create an artificial barrier between the two.”

Judy Bass and her father

Judy Bass and her father, a few years ago.

For Ms Bass, who has not seen her father since March, introducing covid patients to a care home while still preventing relatives who have tested negative for the virus from visiting, is beyond comprehension.

She told the Stray Ferret action needs to be taken quickly for the sake of residents who may not have long left to live and whose families are missing vital time with their loved ones.

“It’s going to be a hard enough winter for everybody, but to make things harder for us and our relatives is so unfair. We speak as often as we can, but conversation is very limited. He is stable, but it’s very difficult for me to tell how he is mentally without sitting with him and being with him to get those vibes.

“I don’t think we have seen a particular mental deterioration, but it’s just he shouldn’t be in that situation and we shouldn’t either.

“Ours is very minimal compared to a lot of people, but if my father has deteriorated and doesn’t know who we are, we’ve lost that little window of time with him that we had.”

Consultation opens over plans to extend former council offices

A consultation is being launched this week over plans to redevelop Harrogate Borough Council’s former headquarters.

Impala Estates Ltd bought Crescent Gardens for £4m in January and is preparing to submit a planning application to bring the building back into use.

As well as refurbishing the existing building to deliver modern offices for up to 400 people, the company proposes adding a second and third floor to provide space for a restaurant and terrace, which would be open to the public. James Hartley, asset manager and surveyor at Impala, said:

“Our aim is to bring the building back into use by developing it in a sensitive way that fits in with the diverse architecture in the surrounding area. We hope to create flexible office and public space in a central part of town.”

The refurbishment includes the creation of offices for multiple occupancy, along with meeting rooms, a gym and shower facilities. Historic rooms, including the former council chamber and mayor’s parlour, will be used as meeting space, which will also be available for public use.

Impala said the additional floors will be set back from the front and rear elevations of the existing building. The site will also be made energy efficient as part of the refurbishment project.

The plans have been drawn up by Harrogate-based S&SA Architects. The developers are inviting feedback from the public via their website from Thursday, before a planning application is submitted within the next couple of months.

Sale of Crescent Gardens

Crescent Gardens has been out of use for three years after Harrogate Borough Council first agreed to sell it and build a new headquarters in 2015. A preferred bidder was chosen, but the sale fell through later that year.

In March 2017, local developer Adam Thorpe was confirmed as the new buyer, through ATP (Crescent Gardens) Ltd, with contracts exchanged that year and completion dependent upon a planning application being submitted to redevelop the building.

The agreed sale price was £6.31 million, with a 25% uplift due to HBC if planning permission was achieved and implemented for a change of use to anything other than predominantly office space within five years of the sale.

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Mr Thorpe said his plans included luxury apartments and an art gallery and, in February 2019, said he had agreed sales on 10 of the 12 apartments including one “comfortably above” £10 million.

When the sale collapsed a few months later, Mr Thorpe owed the council more than £30,000 in unpaid rent for the years in which he had used the building following exchange of contracts. The council had also paid legal fees of more than £11,000 in pursuing completion.

Meanwhile, HBC staff moved into the new headquarters at Knapping Mount in late 2017.

Impala was announced as the new buyer in early 2020, with an agreed price of £4m. A 25% uplift will again apply should planning permission for residential use be achieved and implemented within five years.

Pannal prepares for first scarecrow harvest festival

Characters of all shapes and sizes will line the streets of Pannal and Burn Bridge this weekend as part of the first ever Scarecrow Harvest Festival.

It has been set up by St Robert’s Church in Pannal, in place of its usual harvest festival, to raise money for Harrogate District Foodbank.

More than 60 scarecrows have been entered by local families and individuals, as well as Burn Bridge and Busy Bees pre-schools, Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council, and Pannal Methodist Church.

A map of all the locations, covering as far as Walton Park to the south and Beckwith Road in the north, has been put together by organisers Chloe Darcy and Stephanie Cave. They have uploaded it to the St Robert’s Church website, along with a voting sheet and photos of all the entries so far.

Chloe said:

“People have been so keen. We thought we would run with it but you’re never sure what the response will be. It has been really positive. It’s a bit of fun and everyone can get involved – even those who are shielding because we’re putting all the photos online so people can vote.”

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Entries so far include clowns, nurses, farmers, Minecraft, cartoon characters – and even scarecrows of Pannal School teachers. Each entrant has donated £5 and people taking part are also encouraged to give what they can via the fundraising page.

Chloe added:

“There would normally be a harvest festival and Pannal School would put on harvest services and bring the children to St Robert’s. We can’t collect donations of food this year, so we’re hoping to raise money for the foodbank instead.”

More than £750 has already been donated by the community before the trail has even been launched. The event runs from 9am on Saturday, October 10 until 4pm on Sunday, October 11.

Votes for the best scarecrow will be counted next week, with the winners announced on Sunday, October 18. First, second and third places will be awarded rosettes and prize money.

Warning to parents after police seize ‘drug-laced sweets’ in Ripon

Four teenagers have been arrested after “drugs disguised as sweets” were seized in Ripon yesterday afternoon.

Police stopped a vehicle in the city around 4pm and arrested the four on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, money laundering and weapons offences.

Among the items seized during the arrests were what appeared to be sweets – but officers strongly believe they are laced with controlled drugs.

Suspected drug-laced sweets Suspected drug-laced sweets

Three of the arrested teenagers have been released under investigation and the fourth has been bailed while enquiries continue.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“Police are extremely concerned that anyone consuming these items could be at risk of serious harm, and are asking parents to be particularly vigilant, and ensure their children understand the risks.

“These so-called ‘edibles’ pose a risk to young people across York and North Yorkshire. Anyone who has any information about the supply of illegal drugs in any form is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Your call could literally save someone’s life.”

Police issue warning after rise in ‘romance fraud’

Police are warning residents in North Yorkshire to be on their guard against ‘romance fraud’, which saw victims in the county lose almost half a million pounds in the last year.

North Yorkshire Police said it received almost 70 reports of romance fraud in the year to August 2020, with victims losing more than £426,000 in total.

It is part of a national rise in the crime, with Action Fraud saying there had been a 26% increase in reports of romance fraud in the last 12 months.

North Yorkshire Police financial abuse safeguarding officer Andy Fox said:

“Romance fraud is where someone creates a fake online profile and after gaining the trust of an individual, uses their relationship to request sums of money. Fake profiles will often feature photos taken from other people online and may pose as a US army officer or businessman based overseas.

“Monetary sums will be requested to pay for urgent medical care or even plane tickets to visit the UK, usually alongside a story designed to elicit sympathy and on the promise of it being repaid.”

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Although cases often begin on dating websites, there have also been instances where fraudsters have used gambling sites to make contact with people who could become victims.

Andy said:

“The individuals who undertake romance fraud are highly skilled in both earning trust and cultivating what feels like a loving relationship so the impact on victims can be huge – financially and emotionally. We’re urging anyone using online dating to be vigilant to the signs and also to look out for friends and family, helping safeguard them from becoming victims.

“There can be a perception that the people who fall victim to romance fraudsters are of a certain age or gender but the reports we receive show that literally anyone can be taken in by these calculating criminals. We’ve seen both men and women targeted with some as young as teenagers right up to those in their eighties.”

Police warned anyone who meets someone online to be careful before trusting them. In particular, they said fraudsters might:

Anyone who thinks they may have become a victim to romance fraud should immediately stop all contact with the person and report them to North Yorkshire Police or Action Fraud. Andy added:

“We know that romance fraud is underreported for a number of reasons but one can be that victims feel embarrassed they have been taken in by these fraudsters. There is absolutely no reason to feel embarrassed and the police are here to support you.

“Not only can we give you advice and guidance to ensure you don’t become a victim again. All of these reports help us to build a profile of how romance fraud is undertaken so we can try to stop it happening to others in future.”

 

Huge demand for Christmas attractions as booking opens

Attractions across the Harrogate district have reported record levels of interest in their Christmas activities this year.

From visits to Santa’s Grotto to illuminated woodland walks, some of the most popular annual events are still scheduled to go ahead despite the coronavirus pandemic.

However, with some significant events cancelled – including Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Christmas markets – and places at those going ahead reduced to allow for social distancing, tickets have been in high demand.

At RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate, booking opened last week for the annual Glow installation. Held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings up to Christmas, as well as three days before new year, the event sold 25% of its tickets within the first week.

Organisers said they have reduced capacity and introduced a full pre-booking system for the first time in order to control visitor numbers, and they will be implementing the same enhanced cleaning measures currently being used for daytime visits.

However, the annual Stories with Santa sessions have had to be called off because they cannot be held safely under covid restrictions. A spokesman said they were hoping to reinstate the event in 2021. She added:

“As with all visitor attractions, it’s hard to compare numbers for this year and previous years due to the impact of covid. However, taking the last full month of September as an example, September 2020 is the second best September on record for Harlow Carr, even with a booking system in place, which is very encouraging.”

Alice in Winterland illuminations at Lightwater Valley

The Alice in Winterland illuminations will open at Lightwater Valley in November.

At Lightwater Valley near Ripon, extra availability has had to be added to the Festive Family Fun days running from late November. New family tickets have been released for Friday nights to enable more people to visit.

The park will be lit with giant lanterns and illuminated sculptures with an Alice in Winterland theme, there will be a stage featuring festive visitors and puppet performances and rides will be open if the weather allows.

Lightwater Valley manager Colin Bowes said:

“We’re delighted with the enthusiastic response we have had from people wanting to attend our festive event.

“Understandably Christmas spirit is in high demand this year, so we’ve decided to add these additional dates to ensure even more families can enjoy our Festive Family Fun event in a safe, socially-distanced way.”

At Harewood House, the Santa experience has already sold out, but the house, grounds and gardens will be transformed with the Upon a Christmas Wish theme from mid-November until January 3.

The venue has more than 20 events taking place in the run-up to Christmas, from shopping experiences to wreath-making workshops as well as festive afternoon teas. Pre-booking is essential and some events are already fully booked.

Other attractions

At Stockeld Park, Christmas Adventure tickets go on sale next week, and are expected to sell out quickly based on the popularity of the venue’s Halloween events.

Brimham Rocks Adventure Farm has just put its Christmas Experience tickets on sale, with limited numbers compared to previous years.

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Stump Cross Caverns has opportunities to meet Santa and receive a gift, with advance booking recommended. ‘Rocking’ Santa will meet families of up to six people in the cinema room and organisers said places are already proving popular.

Fountains Abbey is holding Carols by Candlelight on Sundays, December 6 and 13, rather than its usual single date. Full details of its storytime with Father Christmas events will be released nearer the time.

Birchfield Farm has said it will not hold its usual Christmas activities this year.